Art Education Commons^™

Remixing Dialogue: A Case Study On Perceptions Of Hip Hop Pedagogy In A Professional Learning Course, Kelly J. Thelen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative case study examines how teachers’ decision-making and professional autonomy shift while participating in a Hip Hop Pedagogy Professional Learning course supported by structured FIXIT (Lo & Wachter, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c, 2023d; Wachter & Lo, 2024) game-facilitated dialogue in a rural, culturally and linguistically diverse Midwest community. Grounded in Freire’s (1970) Critical Pedagogy, Ladson-Billings’ (1995) Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (Paris and Alim, 2017), and Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al., 2005), the study explores the reclamation of agency by teachers in a time of constrained creativity and educator autonomy shaped by strict policy environments, an emphasis on …

Echándole Ganas: Pláticas Of Belonging + Resistance In Art + Design, Itzanya Bravo

Masters Theses

This thesis centers the experiences of Mexican American students, alumni, faculty, and community-based artists navigating art and design higher education in the United States. Grounded in the question ¿Dónde está la gente latina?—where are the Latino people?—this research examines how representation and culturally sustaining practices shape Mexican American students' sense of belonging and creative agency in a country with systems built on white supremacy

Using pláticas as the primary methodology—a relational, conversational approach rooted in community and storytelling traditions—alongside autohistoria-teoría and Chicana Feminist Epistemology, this study draws on eight in-depth pláticas with Mexican American creatives across art + design higher …

What Teachers See: Collaborative Artmaking In Chinese And U.S. Elementary Schools, Jiayu Shi

Masters Theses

This study explores how elementary art teachers in the United States and China perceive and use collaborative artmaking with their students. Driven by my personal journey as a Chinese student and art educator now studying in the U.S., this research asks: How do teachers in these two countries compare in their views of collaborative artmaking, including its social-emotional outcomes, benefits, and challenges. I conducted semi structured interviews with three elementary art teachers: two from China (one veteran, one early-career) and one from the U.S. with experience in both rural and urban schools. Findings show that teachers in both contexts value …

Emotional Intelligence Documentary - The Journey, Not The Destination: A Spain Reflection, Elise I. Palacios

Cultivating Emotional Intelligence through the Humanities in Spain

The Journey, Not the Destination follows my study abroad experience in Madrid and Toledo, Spain through a Medical Humanities course. Through art, history, culture, and personal reflection, I explore how travel broadened my understanding of the human experience and shaped my perspective as a future physician. More than a story about a place, this documentary is about growth, empathy, and the lessons we learn along the journey.

Mita Y Mita: Bilingualism Beyond Identity Borders, Belén S. Yudess

The Transdisciplinary STEAM+ Journal

“Mita Mita” asks audiences to reflect on the often discordant nature of identity development and how language, culture, and community impact this understanding. This piece is inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s creation of the “mita y mita” framework in relation to border identity and politics theory as a way to conceptualize the doubling of identity that occurs between binaries. Through this lens, I attempt to dismantle the borders I have constructed around my identities by analyzing how reclaiming my name has begun to mend my sociocultural insecurities. As you engage with this material, I encourage you to let down your guard …

Artist Statements As Colectiva: Informed By Lived Experiences And Anzaldúan Theories, Christen Sperry García, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Alexis Marie Ramos

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

As visual artists, our ability to explain process and convey meaning in our work is very important. Our BFA and MFA studio art programs trained us to write clear, concise, and universal artist statements. We were encouraged to highlight the concepts behind our visual work and discouraged from including our personal narratives or employing Chicane or Latine bodies of knowledge. In response, we apply theories and methodologies by Gloria Anzaldúa to our artist statements. First, we offer a framework of testimonio, Borderlands theory, and autohistoria-teoría. Using the methodology of nepantlando, a creative doing of existing in-between worlds, we …

An Impact Study Of Young Women's Leadership Development: A Case Study Of Kosovo, Linda Gjergji

Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the leadership development trajectories of young women in Kosovo engaged in a global leadership program, offering significant insights into their capabilities, aspirations, and the barriers they face in pursuit of leadership roles. Using a qualitative instrumental case study approach, this study examines how participation in global leadership initiatives fosters skill development, self-awareness, and civic engagement among young women in a traditionally male-dominated society. The conceptual framework of the study is comprised of Erikson's theory of Psychosocial Development (Erikson, 1968) and Positive Youth Development (Lerner, 2005). Data was collected through online semi-structured interviews and an arts-based method, revealing …

Investigating The Relationship Between Noun Classes And Plant Folk Taxonomy In Chasu Language Of Kilimanjaro Region In Tanzania, Peter Rabson Mziray

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The current study investigates the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu (G 22). The study focuses on two objectives: the first objective is to describe the plant folk taxonomy in Chasu and the second objective is to determine the relationship between noun classes and plant folk taxonomy in Chasu. Data were collected from rural villages in Same and Mwanga districts by using free listing, field interviews (jungle-walk-and-identify), and written texts containing Chasu plant names. The findings reveal that Chasu folk taxonomy reflects different ethnobotanical categories; including a unique beginner which is mmea/mimea ‘plant(s)’, and three life …

Songwriting At Sae Creative Institute, Molly J. Devine, Saylene Tanielu-Ulberg

Staff Scholarship - New Zealand

This article explores the integration of te reo Māori and Pacific languages into the first-year songwriting programme at the SAE Creative Institute. Co-authored by educators Molly Devine and Saylene Tanielu-Ulberg, the piece reflects on how collaborative songwriting serves as a powerful vehicle for wairua (indefinable spiritual essence) and cultural identity. By centering ancestral knowledge, cultural metaphors, and indigenous worldviews—such as the relational space of va—the curriculum empowers Māori and Pacific students to create music without fear. Ultimately, the authors highlight how reclaiming language and culture through music acts as a vital form of awakening and creative resistance against political …

Exploring Language Through Systemic Functional Linguistics: Importance Of Communicating And Developing Academic Language For Multilingual Learners, Yana Shifrina-Piljovin

Journal of English Learner Education

Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) is a comprehensive theory of language that offers a unique perspective on how we use language to communicate and create meaning. SFL provides educators with a powerful theoretical framework for understanding how language functions in various contexts and how this knowledge can be applied to enhance classroom instruction. Developed by linguist Michael Halliday in the 1960s, SFL has become an influential framework for understanding linguistic metafunctions, from everyday conversations to academic discourse. The "systemic" aspect of SFL refers to the idea that language is a network of systems, each offering a set of choices for expressing …

An Application Of Vocal Pedagogy For Thai Singers, Phitchaya Klimov

Dissertations

Vocal pedagogy incorporates diverse techniques and methodologies that aim to maintain longevity of the voice and to improve vocal performance, range, and tone. While vocal pedagogy has been extensively studied in Western music traditions, its application in the context of Thai singers remains unfamiliar. This dissertation will investigate the application of vocal pedagogy for Thai singers, with a focus on understanding the unique challenges faced by them. It will outline pedagogical approaches to address these challenges and will therefore lead to more authentic performances. “Complete mastery of the voice as an instrument is an idea toward which every singer must …

Reflections Of Linguistic Experiences In A Borderland: Influences On Cultural Identity And Teacher Praxis, Iliana Cantu

Theses and Dissertations

This Autoethnographic dissertation uses autohistoria-teoria to critically analyze my lived curriculum as a Mexican-born raised in the borderland of the Rio Grande Valley. This research aims to understand the influence of my linguistic experiences on my cultural identity and teaching praxis within the same context. Drawing from Anzaldua’s (1987) concept of Borderlands as a contextual lens and Raciolinguistics as a theoretical framework, I examine and reflect on key linguistic experiences that have perpetuated colonizing linguistic practices rather than fostered linguistic diversity. Additionally, Culturally Linguistic Sustaining Pedagogy serves as a framework to critically analyze my teaching praxis in relation to my …

Fostering An Inclusive Environment For New Students Through The South Pacific Division Community Support System At The Adventist International Institute Of Advanced Studies: An Appreciative Inquiry, Anasa Tabua

Adventist Human-Subject Researchers Association

This study uses Appreciative Inquiry to explore how the South Pacific Division (SPD) community support systems at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), grounded in Social Capital Theory, foster inclusivity for new students. It examines existing systems, identifies strengths, and explores enhancement strategies. The findings offer implications for other AIIAS communities and Adventist institutions seeking to enhance support systems and foster inclusive environments.

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Aquí Y Ahora A Dance Tribute To Gustavo Cerati And The Expression Of Hispanic Immigrant Identity In New York City, Karina Terán

Theses and Dissertations

This Thesis explores how dance serves as a language of cultural identity among Hispanic immigrants in New York City. Through a multidisciplinary performance and research, it reflects lived experiences, blending movement and music to celebrate legacy, resilience, and community, while honoring the influence of Argentine rock icon Gustavo Cerati.

Pedro Aceves Mfa Thesis, Pedro M. Aceves

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

My Work is about looking at Cruising through a queer decolonial lens. Using multiple mediums such as photo, glass, Augmented reality, and film, I explore these queer histories and aesthetics through not just an anthropological approach but also an artistic epistemological approach weaving together narratives of prehispanic and modern queer Latinidad.

2nd Place Contest Entry: The Role Of Repertoire Selection And Teacher Collaboration In Culturally Responsive Music Education, Robin Gomes, Connor Bogenreif, Mir Aminy

Eric M. Scandrett Graduate Library Research Prize

This is Robin Gomes, Connor Bogenreif, and Mir Aminy's submission for the 2025 Eric M. Scandrett Graduate Research Prize, which won second place. It contains their essay on using library resources, their bibliography, and a summary of their research project on the role of repertoire selection and teacher collaboration in culturally responsive music education.

Robin, Connor, and Mir are doctoral students in the Ph.D. in Education program at Chapman University. Their faculty mentor are Dr. Howard and Dr. Havard.

Empowering Multilingual Learners Through Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy And Arts-Based Learning In Burkina Faso, Inoussa Malgoubri

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation explores how culturally sustaining pedagogy and arts-based learning can engage multilingual learners of English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Burkina Faso. The research emphasizes the incorporation of local cultural elements and learners' linguistic backgrounds into the EAL curriculum to address challenges such as limited classroom interactions (Somé-Guiebré, 2020) and monolingual instructional strategies with inadequate cultural representation (Ndlangamandla, 2024). This qualitative study integrates culturally relevant materials, including Forum Theater, slam poetry, and griot-style storytelling, to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment. Data consisted of observation, images from arts-based workshops and pre- and post-workshop interviews with selected teachers …

Examining The Creative Process Of Visual Artists: A Phenomenological Study, Filiberto Vargas

Dissertations

Creativity fuels problem solving and innovation, driving both economic growth and individual success. Yet, many schools and organizations fail to nurture it. Today, there is a decline in creativity scores among U.S. students. This is concerning since many of these students will be the future leaders of organizations and communities. For this reason, this dissertation explores the creative process of visual artists to better understand how creativity can be cultivated. Visual artists' perspectives and sense-and-meaning-making processes offer a unique view of innovation and creativity. However, there is limited research on the creative processes of contemporary visual artists from culturally diverse …

Hauntings Of Transnational Art Learning And Teaching: A Duo-Ethnography Of Two Asian Art Educators’ Transformative Experiences, Hayon Park, Sohee Koo

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

Reflecting on lived experiences as art learners in South Korea and professional practices in the United States as art educators, the authors draw from Derrida’s (1994) “hauntology” and present how their transnational experiences continue to conjure up and affect the everyday lives of Asian women junior faculty today in the US through duoethnographic approaches. Posing the question “how might personal lived experiences of an educator foster art pedagogy and research?” and interviewing each other on aesthetics, education, and identity, this article seeks to: 1) inform others about how Korean art educators navigate matters of transnational education experience and colonization and …

English Language Learners In The Classroom: Perspectives And Teaching Approaches Using Art Integration, Kimberly M. Rodriguez

Honors College Theses

Art is a sensory language. In language learning, visual literacy is an essential factor in developing interlanguage. Art can interchange cultural understanding and promote social learning. The research gathered is based on the perspectives of teachers in the neighboring schools located in Georgia. The purpose of this paper is to examine how teachers can support language learning using visual literacy. Teachers are asked to participate in an interview to record their experiences in language learning. In the completion of the data collected, the analysis gives a deeper understanding of how to improve accommodating language learners in the classroom using visual …

Teaching Video Game As A Leisure Skill To Arab American Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Video Modeling In A School Setting, Lubna Alzayyat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leisure activities are important in assisting individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to build relationships, learn to behave socially appropriately, and acquire new interests- competences that assist in cultivating positive self-consciousness (Specht et al., 2002; Womack et al., 2011). Statistics indicate that 2.3% of 8-year-old children in the United States are diagnosed with ASD (CDC, 2021). Despite these large numbers and the tremendous benefits of engaging in leisure activities, participation in leisure activities is lower among children with ASD when compared to their typically developing peers (Ratcliff et al., 2018). The situation is worse when compared to children with ASD …

21st Century Community Learning Centers: Program Evaluation Evidence From Texas, Rosilyn Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Texas afterschool programs strive to enhance academic performance and meet students' needs, yet gaps in program quality persist. This study evaluated 21st Century Community Learning Centers’ performance in reading, math, GPA, attendance, in-school suspension, and engagement, both within these categories and against program goals and demographics. Theoretical frameworks used in this study include the logic model, social justice theory, and cultural relevance theory. This quantitative study utilized a nonexperimental and secondary data research design which utilized five statistical tests: the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, One-Way repeated ANOVA, Spearman Correlation, the Independent Samples t-Test, and the Mann-Whitney U Test. Results showed that …

Benefits Of Teaching Pre-Literacy In Waldorf Education In Early Childhood, April Guerrero

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines the benefits of teaching pre-literacy in Waldorf education in early childhood. In Waldorf Education, literacy development incorporates differentiated instructions that fosters cognitive and social emotional learning of their students. Through the use of literature review and several teachers in various grades of Waldorf schools, the result findings revealed that pedagogical practices around literacy instructions promote critical thinking skills, nurtures children’s creative expression, and imagination. Literacy curriculum in Waldorf schools allows students to create tangible evidence of self-expressions and communication skills. Given its emphasis on holistic curriculum, it allows teachers to engage with their diverse …

Exploring How Funds Of Knowledge Is Utilized Among Teacher Educators In A Teacher Preparation Program Focusing On Arts Integration And Language Diversity, Gabrielle H. Pretto Ph.D

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

In our current educational climate, teaching for social justice has become increasingly difficult. Teacher educators are faced with certification rules that prioritize test scores over teaching ability, scripted curriculums, and the limited understandings about differences related to culture, class, and race. This study examined how social justice teachings were sustained and enhanced through a Funds of Knowledge (FOK) learning approach. Case study was utilized and guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the FOK of teacher educators participating in the TEALi program? (2) In what ways are the FOK of teacher educators integrated or utilized in their university …

Understanding The “L” In Cslp Within The Literacy Conundrum, Julia Lynch, Andrea Perrone

Michigan Reading Journal

Rooted in culturally relevant pedagogy, culturally sustaining literacy practices (CSLP) focus on equity in education (Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1995; Paris, 2012). Our view of CSLP emphasizes integrating the arts into literacy instruction to leverage students' cultural assets, stimulating their cognitive processes and recognizing literacy's interdisciplinary role in learning. As we align literacy practices with state standards, high-stakes testing, and research-based methods, it's crucial for educators and society to embrace them. Traditionally, literacy instruction has prioritized written language, creating hierarchical structures that lead to learning gaps and inequitable opportunities. An arts-based CSLP framework addresses these issues by ensuring literacy includes diverse …

Reflections And Revelations In Autoethnography: A Review Of Meaningful Journeys Of Quest And Identity Transformation, Niroj Dahal

The Qualitative Report

In this review of—Meaningful Journeys: Autoethnographies of Quest and Identity Transformation, edited by Alec Grant, Ph.D., and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Lloyd-Parkes, Ph.D., I have made an effort to offer my evaluation that explores the autoethnographies of quest and identity transformation (Grant & Lloyd-Parkes, 2024). The book presents a curated anthology of personal ethnographic narratives, each grounded in the foundational concepts, philosophical insights, and linguistic roots of “journeying,” “questing,” and both ancient and contemporary interpretations of “pilgrimage.” As an autoethnographer, even during the different phases of life—personal and professional—I have been through the different roots of transformation, and now, at …

A Critical Discourse On Asian American Stereotypes And Pedagogical Strategies Against Anti-Asian Racism, Ryan Shin, Maria Lim, Oksun Lee, Ahran Koo, Kevin Hsieh, Min Gu, Jaehan Bae

Journal of Social Theory in Art Education

In this article, we address the three derogatory stereotypes and tropes of anti-Asian racism: model minority, perpetual foreigner, and yellow peril. We problematize how each of the three stereotypes was formed and has been sustained, affecting our art classroom and professional practices. After that, we offer the novel and futuristic conception of Asian American inclusivity as a critical project in our society. Lastly, in challenging the three Asian stereotypes and embracing Asian American inclusivity, we offer S-R-C teaching strategies (Sense of Belonging, Resist, and Coalition Building) to confront anti-Asian racism and violence. The strategies are designed to help art educators …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Aguaaaa!!!, Cory Villegas

Theses and Dissertations

“AGUA” is a call for new models of learning and sharing, celebrating the diasporic as a place of global revolution. Salsa, rooted in Latin American and Afro-Caribbean histories, is choreographer Cory Villegas’s expression of cultural legacy. As an Afro-diasporic dance, Salsa carries the wealth and variety of African and Indigenous roots. Villegas contextualizes her thesis event “Las Leyendas: An Afro Cuban Suite,” presenting herself and her troupe Soul Dance Co. as evidence that contradicts the erasure of Latin & Caribbean Culture in US dance history. The paper uses English and Spanish, written, visual, and oral materials with an accompanying webpage.